The Turn
by jamiel33t
Summary: There was something not quite human about Miss Samara Bishop, something far less human even than Miss Stackhouse. He just had to find out what it was.
1. Chapter 1

***Hi guys, back again, hope you like my new story =) I've been working on the other chapters, so I thought I'd pop the first one up as a taster to see if you like it. Feedback is always appreciated, enjoooy xo***

"Okay, where are we going to go tonight?" Samara Bishop bounced on her feet with excitement. She was in the kitchen of the apartment she shared with her friends Eden James, and Ruby Windsor. The girls all attended the same university and had graduated that very day. Samara had graduated at the top of her class, so she was very excited and wanted to go out. That just about summed Samara up – she was top of everything, and always first. She was always the first one in all academic subjects, always the first to hand in assignments, always the first to answer a question set to a class, and in her non-academic life she was always the first to get on the dance floor, always the first to be flirted with, always the first to know which bands were playing where, and always the first to wear some underground band merchandise. As much as her friends loved her, they could not help but be exasperated by this fact.

"Well you know where I'm going to suggest." Ruby's eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Ah God, Rubes, I don't know about that." Eden was unsure.

"But you said you were for vampire rights!" Ruby argued.

"I didn't say they shouldn't have rights, I just don't really want to go and drink with them! Or be drunk by them!" Eden flipped. She had never set foot in Fangtasia, and as far as she knew, neither had Samara, but Ruby was a regular, and she was always boasting about how good it was and amazing it was to have sex with a vampire. Both Samara and Eden looked upon sex with non-human creatures with more than a little disdain.

"What do you think Sam?" Ruby asked Samara.

"Well, I've never been, so I can't judge. And I've met a few vamps, they seem okay."

"Sam, I really don't want to."

"If you don't like it we can leave?" Ruby suggested. Eden looked torn, and Samara was still practically bouncing off of the walls with excitement. Who could blame her?

"Alright, but I don't want to stay for long, and do NOT tell Jack." Jack was Eden's boyfriend, and just about the biggest asshole Ruby and Samara had ever met.

"If we tell him then will you guys maybe break up?" Ruby asked.

"Oh don't start Ruby. Today should be a good day. We graduated, and we should go have fun." Eden said.

"That's more like it Edie!" Samara did a little pirouette and sprang from the kitchen to the hallway with the two girls in the kitchen laughing at her.

Getting dressed that evening was a hectic affair. All three girls were clamouring over each other, trying to get clothes arranged, hairstyles fixed and make-up applied. The girls were completely different yet all part of the same "alternate" scene. Ruby was by far the most outrageously styled. She had white-blonde shoulder length hair which was always artfully tousled. Tonight she was wearing a pink leopard print dress which barely covered all of the legal areas, but she looked fantastic. Eden was much more conservative in what she wore, which was a knee-length black prom dress with white polka dots. She had long black hair down her back, which she usually pulled back in a ponytail but today she had backcombed it and it was very BIG. Samara had bright post box red hair which reached her chin and no further. When she was going out she quiffed the fringe over and it opened up her pale face. Tonight she was wearing a black dress with red trim and a red anchor over the left boob, and red buttons adorning it. She teamed this with fishnet tights and plain black wedges.

"We look fucking good." Ruby commented.

"Darling, we always look good." Eden laughed. "Let's take a picture!" Eden, who was easily the tallest at 5'9" without heels stood to the left of Samara (the smallest at 5'3") and Ruby stood next to her. Eden flashed a picture of them and they checked themselves quickly in the mirror and called their cab.

"I hope it comes soon." Samara sighed, and no sooner had she said it than the cab had beeped its horn.

---

"Why is the queue so long? I need vodka." Samara whined. The girls were standing in the queue of perhaps twenty or so people, waiting to get inside Fangtasia. The queue started moving faster.

"It's usually longer than this, but we're pretty early so that's not too bad." Ruby told them. The queue was getting nearer to the front and once the couple in front of them were waved in, the female vampire at the door stopped them. She had dark brown hair with blonde highlights, was very tall, and was rather fierce looking.

"ID." She pointed to Samara and Eden.

"Don't need mine?" Ruby asked.

"I remember yours." She smiled, but it was not friendly in the slightest. Both Eden and Samara flashed their IDs. "You can go in." She stood to the side allowing them to walk past. Samara could have sworn she inhaled deeply when she walked past her. Once inside Eden and Samara stopped in their tracks.

"Okay, this looks like a depressed Gothic teenager's bedroom." Eden commented.

"You might be right about that Edie." Samara agreed.

"I don't see him." Ruby pouted.

"See who?" Samara asked.

"The main reason most of the ladies come here."

"And that would be…"

"The guy who owns this place. You just wait until you see him, you won't wanna leave."

"Sure." Samara rolled her eyes and walked towards the bar.

"What can I get you?" The vampire behind the bar asked.

"Can I have three double vodkas with lemonade and three shots of Jager please?" She smiled her most award-winning smile at the bar-vamp.

"Coming right up." He rounded up their drinks in record time and Samara handed the money over.

"To graduating." Samara held up her shot of Jager, and the other two girls did the same. They downed it, coughing a little as the dark drink went down.

"Woo! Let's dance!" Ruby headed for the dance floor. Samara downed her double vodka in one and followed Ruby to the dance floor, with Eden close at her heels.

---

Eden was at the bar sitting on a stool, drinking another double vodka, watching Samara giving it her all on the dance floor dancing with a vampire, nonetheless. Ruby was also dancing with a vampire, to the side of the dark dance floor. She saw that Samara had suddenly stopped dancing and was glaring at the vampire she was dancing with accusingly. 'Oh no!' Eden ran over to see what was wrong.

"Dude, please tell you are not trying to glamour me." Samara stood with her hands on her hips looking up at the tall, handsome vampire.

"How did you know I was doing that?"

"Because it doesn't work on me, alright?" The vampire's eyes went wide.

"Why not?"

"I'm special." She turned and flounced away, with Eden left awkwardly standing a couple of feet away from the vampire. She turned quickly to follow Samara.

"Why did you go and start an argument with a vampire Sam?" Eden demanded.

"He was trying to glamour me Eden, so don't lecture me." Samara waved her hand impatiently.

"Sam, I know you can't be glamoured, but the vamps don't have to know that."

"Hey!" Samara called out as a firm hand clamped her shoulder.

"You need to come with me." The fierce vampire from the front door was the one who had grabbed Samara's shoulder.

"I don't need to go anywhere with you." Samara twisted out of her grip.

"Excuse me?" The vampire laughed, as though this was truly amusing to her.

"I said I don't need to go anywhere with you."

"My master has summoned you."

"You have a master? What are you, like a slave?"

"Don't sass me pretty girl."

"Tell your master to stick his summons up his ass."

"Sam!" Eden pinched her side to indicate that she should be more careful.

"That is your final answer?"

"It is." Samara smiled sarcastically and the female vampire floated off.

"Samara Bishop, you have a fucking death wish."

"Eden, nothing is going to happen to me. You need to mellow out."

"You're insane." Samara gave a small laugh. She looked to see where the fierce vamp had gone and she saw a throne-like chair on a platform she hadn't quite noticed before. On the throne-chair sat probably the best looking man Samara had ever seen. Except that he wasn't a man, of course, he was a vampire. The female vampire was whispering in his ear, and he was looking right over to where Samara and Eden stood. Samara rolled her eyes. She supposed this was the owner of the bar – the apparent reason why women came here according to Ruby. Whatever, he was just a good looking guy.

"Do you think we should go? I think we've stayed long enough." Eden suggested.

"Yeah it's probably time. I told my mother I'd call her tomorrow."

"Then she can explain why she didn't come to your graduation?"

"I'm sure there was some yogalates or aerobics or nail therapy to be done, which is obviously more important. Bitch." Samara laughed out loud, but really it pissed her off to the max.

"I think your mother had a maternal vasectomy around the time of your birth."

"I think so too." Eden gave Samara a sympathetic look but didn't have time for much else as two vampires had just grabbed them and dragged them over to the throne-chair within seconds.

"Get your fucking hands off of us." Samara told them, and as if their hands were burned they let go. The blonde vampire eyed her speculatively.

"You refused my summons, so I had them bring you over."

"Who the fuck do you think you are? You think because you're so many centuries older than us that you have the right to just summon us?" Samara was like a live wire, she could feel the electricity running through her veins, and it felt faster as her anger intensified.

"Your anger amuses me."

"Your amusement angers me."

"You are quite full of attitude aren't you?"

"Can you blame me? Some vamp tries to summon me over here and I'm supposed to be what? Grateful? I think not."

"Most others are dying to be summoned by me."

"You can keep them. Let's go Eden." Samara grabbed Eden's hand to pull her away but the man in the throne's voice stopped her.

"You will not leave. I am not finished with you yet."

"You're finished with me when I say you are."

"What makes you think you can speak to me that way and still live?"

"What makes you think you can speak to me that way, period?"

"I am the Sheriff of this area."

"I don't know about vampires, but we humans in the 21st centuries have the judicial system and district attorneys. My father is actually a district attorney, so if you kill me, your whole bar is shut down, and the vampire rights movement goes back fifteen centuries."

"Are you threatening me little girl?"

"Not anymore than you're threatening me." She folded her arms and stared him down.

"I hear glamouring you has no effect."

"You heard correctly."

"Then what to do with you?"

"You're not going to do anything with me. Goodbye Mr Vamp." Samara turned her back on the vampire and walked towards the door.

"What about Ruby?"

"Hold on a sec, she's calling me." Samara pulled her cell phone out of her bag which was ringing. "Rubes?"

"Hey Sam, just wanted to let you girls know that I got lucky and I will not be requiring to share a cab with you." Ruby was giggling.

"Okay, whatever. Be safe, and I'll see you tomorrow whore."

"Bye babe." Samara hung up the phone.

"Ruby got lucky?" Eden guessed.

"Yeah. Let's go home Edie." The two girls linked arms and went outside, unaware that they were being watched by vampire eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

***Hey, thank you to the sweethearts who reviewed the first chapter, I dedicate this second one to you :) hope you enjoy it***

It was seven o'clock and Samara was expecting her friend to come and let her go. She wanted to talk to him about what happened in Fangtasia anyway. If Eric really was the Sheriff of this area, then Jacob would know him. Jacob was only turned about ten years ago, so he was still relatively young. She knew a lot of vampires struggled to get normal jobs simply because of what they were, but when she was asked by the owner of this place to find someone to stay until late and do the restocking, Samara had no problems employing Jacob. The two of them bonded instantly over a love of music. He was able to tell what edition an LP was just by looking at them, and during his life had been a roadie for several bands such as Guns N Roses, and Iron Maiden. Of course, it had been at an Iron Maiden concert that his life was ended and he had arisen as a vampire. He didn't really act like a vampire, Samara knew he considered the life more of a curse than a gift, but he just smiled and got on with it. She wished other people in her life could be as pleasant.

"_Hello?" Came the high nasally tone that announced her mother._

"_Mom, it's Sam."_

"_Samara, how many times do I have to say that you shouldn't call yourself Sam? It's a boy's name."_

"_Okay mom."_

"_Now, how did your graduation go?" Samara could hear water in the background, her mother was obviously at the pool as usual._

"_Yeah it went great, I graduated top of the class. They gave me a two thousand dollar check for it."_

"_Fantastic, now you can get that hairstyle we talked about."_

"_What hairstyle?"_

"_You know, the blonde with the extensions. I'll never understand why you cut all of your hair off."_

"_Because I prefer it short. And my hair is too red, if I put blonde on it then it'll turn out orange or pink."_

"_Perhaps you can use the money to come out here and see your mother. Perhaps you could try to get a tan while you're at it."_

"_Mom, I like my skin colour."_

"_But darling, you're as pale as one of those vampires."_

"_I like that."_

"_You don't want someone mistaking you and trying to throw silver on you." Her mother laughed at her own joke._

"_I doubt that would happen." Samara sighed. Her mother had always been and will always be the same. She was more concerned with Samara's looks than the fact that she was really clever. You would think most parents would be ecstatic if their daughter graduated at the top of their university class._

"_Now, tell me, have you had any luck finding a man yet?"_

"_No mother, I haven't."_

"_Life is short you know, before you know it you'll be forty five and you won't have such a young body or face."_

"_I know mom."_

Reminiscing on the conversation just made Samara feel even sadder. What on earth had she ever done to deserve parents that did not give a shit about her? Her father was the district attorney for Louisiana, he lived in Baton Rouge, and she saw him perhaps four times a year maximum. Her mother, after divorcing her father, married an old oil tycoon, and was filthy rich now. She lived in the Florida Keys, and Samara was lucky (or unlucky) to see her twice a year.

"My, my, don't we look sad today?" A voice broke Samara out of her reverie.

"Hey Jake." Samara high-fived the vampire. Unlike other vampires, he was not stunningly beautiful, or perhaps it was because Samara was so used to him. He was average height (well tall compared to her shortness), had light brown hair, and skin that you could tell was once sun kissed, but now was pale. He was about twenty six around the time of his changing, and so he would remain forever.

"Why are you looking so down?" He took off his jacket and plopped it behind the counter as Samara got up to look out the window.

"Oh I got to speak to my mom yesterday."

"Oh… how did that go?" He asked tentatively, already knowing it would not have gone well.

"The usual. Samara, why aren't you prettier? Samara, why aren't you more interested in men? Samara, why don't you want the life I have? Same old bullshit."

"Well I can answer those. You're already beautiful, you don't need to be prettier. Men simply aren't good enough for you, and her life sucks, so who WOULD want it?" Jake lightly tapped her nose with his finger. Samara smiled. Jake could easily cheer her up, which was part of the reason she liked him so much.

"Thanks man. I don't know why I even call her. I'm just chasing that motherly love that I've never had."

"Hey Sam, you have me, Ruby and Eden. You don't need anyone else."

"Speaking of them, Ruby actually dragged us to Fangtasia on Saturday night."

"You and Eden both went?" He asked incredulously.

"Yeah." Samara laughed.

"How was it?"

"Well, it was okay until some vamp tried to glamour me."

"Oh shit." Jake had a knowing smile on his face. He was the reason Samara knew she could not be glamoured. She asked him to try it on her once to see if it would work, but when it did not he was completely shell-shocked. He was the only human as far as he knew that could not be glamoured. He did not see fit to take this up with the hierarchy though; he was sure that would not bode well for Samara.

"Yeah so he went and told on me."

"To Eric?"

"Is that what Ruby said his name was? I can't remember. I know he had this vicious female vampire, who more of his personal guard dog."

"That would be Pam."

"She acts like she was never human. She was born a cold, heartless bitch."

"I have to agree with you on that one. So what happened when you were summoned?"

"How do you know I was summoned?"

"He summons everyone."

"Well I sort of got on my high horse and basically told this vamp Pam to fuck off."

"And you're still alive?"

"Well then me and Eden got dragged over to that guy, Eric, and he was telling me basically that when he summons, we should run over."

"You argued didn't you?"

"You know me so well." Samara laughed. "No, I just called him on being a dick, trying to summon us. Who the hell does he think he is? He thinks he's so high and mighty sitting there in that throne lording it over everyone else. Argh, he annoys me so much. That Pam is irritating too. She was trying to be all scary, but I'm not fucking afraid of them. I don't care who Eric thinks he is."

"He's the Sheriff, Sam."

"Yeah but humans aren't ruled by Sheriffs. I reminded him of that too."

"His bar, his rules."

"Fuck that. Just because he's hundreds of years old doesn't mean he can be a dick."

"He's like a thousand years old."

"Wow. I thought you guys would like start to disintegrate after about five hundred years." She teased.

"Shut up." He playfully pushed her, gently because he knew if he pushed her properly she would go right through the window.

"Anyway, I told him to piss off basically and left."

"He let you leave after you dissed him?"

"Yep."

"Oh, shit, Sam. I'd be really careful if I were you."

"What? Is he going to come and get me?"

"I don't know, but no one that disrespects him usually gets to leave Fangtasia with their neck intact. I don't think he's finished with you yet."

"So I can expect a visit from him?"

"I'd say so, yeah."

"Wonderful." Samara sighed.

"I'll talk to him for you if you want?"

"No, it's okay Jake. I said those things; it should be me who reaps the consequences."

"You need my help, you just let me know, alright?"

"Thanks Jake."

"So, I imagine Ruby arrived at Fangtasia with you and Eden, but left with a vampire?"

"You'd be right."

"She's going to get herself into a lot of trouble one of these days. Her fixation with my kind can't lead anywhere good."

"Oh, doubting your own kind?"

"I don't doubt myself, and I don't doubt several others. But the vampires who go to Fangtasia know that humans are there wanting to be fed on or be screwed by a vampire, so sometimes they go with the intention of that human never breathing again after they're done with them."

"She was okay yesterday when she came home, but those bite marks look really horrible. No offence."

"None taken." He laughed. Jake had a human woman, but she never looked like a leper like Ruby does sometimes. He must bite her where no one could see. The idea turned Samara on slightly, but she brought herself round to change the subject.

"Did you see this new Rolling Stones limited edition press?"

"Oh yeah, I did. I can't believe they're only two hundred bucks, they're pretty much priceless."

"I don't think it's as cool as the Jimi Hendrix one though."

"Yeah, but that's Hendrix, you can't compare anything to him, he'd always win that."

"I wish I'd gotten to see him in concert before he died."

"I did. I have one of those original tour shirts. In fact, I have two. I'll bring you the other one in."

"Aw you rule man."

---

Samara opened the apartment door when she went home that night and was immediately bombarded by Eden and Ruby running down the hall to greet her.

"Hey Sam." Ruby winked.

"Hello Miss Bishop." Eden said too. They both started giggling.

"Okay, as much as I appreciate the enthusiastic welcome home, how about you tell me what's up?" Samara took her jacket off and hung it on the coat stand next to the door.

"Earlier this evening, Eden and I were doing the usual tasks." Ruby said.

"Ironing, washing up, you know, the usual."

"How exciting for you." Samara rolled her eyes.

"Then something happened." Ruby said melodramatically. "The doorbell rang!"

"Oh, God… please stop, this story is far too exhilarating for me."

"When we opened the door, there was a gift for you." Eden took a small black gift bag out from behind her back and thrust it at Samara.

"What?" She asked uncertainly.

"Go on, take it!" Samara took the bag and looked at the tag on it.

"_Samara, in this bag there is something that I believe you will find beneficial."_

"It doesn't say who it's from?"

"Who cares? Just open it." Ruby said impatiently.

"Okay, okay." Samara took a hard package out of the box. It was covered in plain black paper. She put the bag down and pulled the paper off of the item. She knew from holding it that it was probably a book, and she was right. She pulled out a book, read the title and burst out laughing.

"What is it?" Eden asked. Instead of replying, Samara held the book up to reveal the title: Etiquette for Girls, by Fleur Britten.

"An etiquette book? Who the hell would buy you an etiquette book?" Ruby asked.

"Someone who she's possibly been rude to?" Eden asked, and Samara knew they were both thinking of the same person.

"Oh God, what a dick." Samara laughed again. "Excuse me ladies, I'm tired." Samara moved past the girls towards her bedroom. She put the book down on her bedside table, looking at it as she changed from her jeans and black tank top into a fresh white tank top and white shorts. She put her dirty clothes at the door, with the full intention of taking them to the laundry later. Right now, she just wanted to spend some chill time in her room. Her room was probably not like what you would imagine. Looking at someone like Samara, you would imagine it was dark and filled with music posters. Instead the walls were actually a light blue colour, and the carpet was dark blue. She had blue silk sheets on her bed, and blue curtains to match. Her room was just really peaceful. She used to have lots of posters of bands and the like, but instead she took them down to the record store and put them up there. She felt like her room needed to be peaceful colours in order to aid a better sleep.

'What an ass' Samara thought as she picked up the book from where it was sitting. She lay back on her bed, reading the card again. It was beautifully written, so he had good hand-writing. That was one positive thing she could think about him. Before she knew it she had fallen asleep holding the book in her arms.


	3. Chapter 3

***Thanks to everyone who's been reading/reviewing. I'll post the next one up soon (reviews might prompt me to put it up sooner wink wink) enjoy!***

"Goodbye Miss, thanks for letting me stay later." A young man waved to Samara as he was leaving the library.

"No problem, good luck with your re-sit." She smiled at him. He left, and as the door closed, Samara sighed and got back to the work she was doing. She had applied for this job a few weeks ago, and was delighted to start at the beginning of this week. This was only her third day, but it wasn't a difficult job. She was on the later shift, which meant she was there until nine o'clock, but she had let the poor harassed student stay until ten. She stayed later anyway because she was doing some research on possible theories for her PhD. It was something she had always considered doing. Her mother had agreed to pay for it, and all she had to do was find what Historical event or time she was going to write her theory on. She loved history, which was probably one of the reasons why she tried so hard at university. She was very proud of herself for graduating at the top of her class with history, but was unsurprised. When you loved something you naturally strived to know more about it. She got a fright when her cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Sam, it's Ruby, when are you coming home? We were going to order an Indian curry."

"Oh I won't be home for a bit, I've got lots of reading to do before I can justify leaving. Order the food and I'll heat it up when I come in."

"Alright sweetie, don't work too hard. We only graduated last week; you do need to take a break."

"I prefer working."

"Of course you do, you martyr. Love you, bye."

"Bye Rubes." Samara pressed the end button on the phone, and returned to her reading. She was currently reading a book on Meiji Japan. It was one of the historical subjects she loved, but didn't know if she was ready to spend two years studying her own theory on it. As she continued to read, she heard the sound of a book dropping.

"Hello?" She called, and then listened. There was just silence. Assuming a book had just been sitting on the edge of a table or desk, she left it to continue reading. She was in the middle of taking some notes from the book she was reading when she heard more books drop – it sounded like three or four at least. Now she knew that the first had not been an accident. She got up from the seat and headed towards the fiction section of the library. She tried to be as quiet as possible, listening out for someone else. She spotted the books on the floor in the fiction section and went over to pick them up. She put them back on the shelf and turned to continue searching, but was taken by surprise when she saw a dark figure at the entrance to the fiction section, blocking any means of escape.

"Uh, hello?" The figure was in darkness, as the boy before had turned the lights off for her. The figure said nothing, but just continued to stare. It was a tall figure, definitely the outline of a man as far as Samara could tell. It started to move towards her and she moved back. The figure moved faster and Samara turned around to run away from it, tripping over a chair and falling flat on her face as she did so. She turned around on her back to see the figure standing above her.

"Hello Miss Bishop." The voice was mocking.

"Eric? Is that you?" Samara squinted in the darkness and then gasped when he was suddenly squatting next to her and was close to her face.

"Why it is." He held a hand out to help her up, which she reluctantly took. He had her on her feet in less than a second, making Samara dizzy.

"You are a total prick!" She pushed him and of course he did not move. Instead he looked very amused, which only made Samara angrier. She could not remember ever having been this irritated by a person in her life.

"Don't hold back, tell me how you really feel. I see the book I sent you didn't get put to good use."

"Oh no, it made excellent tinder for my fire. Why didn't you say it was you?" Samara dusted her jeans off, leaning down to brush a piece of fluff off of her knee, exposing the back of her neck to Eric.

"I thought you were clever. It is not very clever to expose your neck to me."

"How do you know I'm clever?"

"I did my homework on you."

"Yeah, who from?"

"Your friend who frequents my club."

"Ruby told you about me?" Samara asked disbelievingly.

"She did. You're very smart, and very vivacious. You would make the perfect vampire."

"Dream on, like I want to suck people's blood. What do you want?" Samara was impatient. This vampire really got on her last nerve.

"I want you to work for me."

"Excuse me?" Samara folded her arms.

"I believe you have some qualities that I might be looking for."

"You mean because I couldn't be glamoured, you want a chance to find out why?"

"I told you that you were clever." There was always a mocking edge to his voice that drove her completely insane. "That is the main reason, yes. It's also because the smell of your blood is different from other humans. I have only smelled one human who was even remotely close to yours, but yours is much more potent."

"You want me to work for you because of the way I smell?" Samara laughed.

"The way your blood smells."

"Listen sweetie, I just graduated at the top of my class. I'm smart as fuck. Why the hell would I want to work for you?"

"I'd fund your PhD."

"It's already being funded."

"By your mother?"

"Yes."

"From what I've been told, it kills you to accept money from her."

"How the hell do you know that? Ruby would NOT have told you that."

"She did… but let's say she wasn't quite herself when she did."

"You glamoured her into telling you stuff about me? You really are a cold asshole."

"I merely wanted to find out more about you. Is that such a crime?" Samara responded with a cold look. "Wouldn't you like to call your mother and tell her that you don't need her money?"

"I would rather die a slow painful death than work for you." Suddenly Eric moved, holding her in place with one hand and pulling her head by the hair to one side, exposing her neck. His fangs came out.

"That can be arranged quite easily."

"I don't fear death dude, so do your worst." Eric was quiet for a few seconds, but did not move. Samara could feel his cold breath on her neck and her heart was beating faster and faster.

"Perhaps you don't fear death, but what about your friend Ruby? Or your vampire friend Jacob?"

"What are you talking about?" Samara felt like her legs had been kicked out from underneath her.

"Young girls go missing everyday in America."

"You bastard, you wouldn't!"

"I personally wouldn't, but there are so many ways for young girls to get hurt… and your friend Jacob, he is answerable to me and I could make life so unpleasant for him."

"You'd do that to another vampire just because I won't work for you?"

"It wouldn't be hard really, he loves his human companion… I could arrange for that relationship to end." Eric loosened his grip and Samara broke away from him, and when she turned around she was seething.

"You are the most vulgar, evil, disgusting thing I have ever met."

"Thing?"

"Yes, because you're clearly not a person. Jake told me you're like a thousand years old, and there he is only a vampire for ten years and he's more evolved than you. I know what your problem is."

"And what is that?" He asked, sounding bored.

"No one really likes you." He let out a laugh and Samara continued. "No, seriously. You have the human women and men who throw themselves at you because you're easy on the eyes, and you're a vampire. You have the vampires working for you under control because you're their boss. Your guard dog only sucks up your ass because you're her maker." Samara knew this as Jacob had told her at the record store the other day. "So no one really likes you, and you'll act like you don't care, but really I think that pisses you off, so you act even worse. It's simple psychology."

"Wow, aren't you quite articulate?"

"Go to hell." Eric moved quickly again, pinning Samara against the bookshelf, but not too tightly so as to restrict her airflow. She tried to push him away but he wouldn't move.

"You really are over-estimating my patience little girl. I don't think I have met a human being in the thousand years I have walked this earth that has annoyed me as much as you do."

"The feeling's mutual." Samara said as she still struggled, knocking books off of the shelf. She wasn't feeling quite as confident now, but she tried not to let that show.

"Why do test me so?"

"I think you think you're better than everyone else, and it is bullshit because you're probably not even as good as them."

"I think no such thing." He released her and she crumpled to the ground. She looked up at him and saw that his fangs were still out. She was a little frightened. She wasn't afraid to die, but the amount of pain beforehand was something that terrified her. It also gave her a second to reflect on all the things she had yet to do in life. She knew he could tell she was afraid now. She was all mouth really, but usually it worked. "So now you fear me? I never intended for that. You seem to bring out the worst in me Miss Bishop."

"Are you going to kill me?" She asked in a small voice. Her confidence was slipping.

"Of course I'm not going to kill you." His face was still angry, but at least his fangs had retracted. "I didn't mean to threaten your friends either. I have low patience at the best of times, but no one tests it quite like you."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I test everyone's patience." Eric helped her to her feet.

"Please forgive my angry outburst."

"Sorry for being a bitch."

"If you forgive me, then I think I can forgive you."

"Sure." She held her hand out and he regarded it for a second and then shook it.

"Please consider my offer."

"I'll think about it, no promises."

"Consider it; that is all I ask."

"Okay."

"I must leave now, goodbye Miss Bishop."

"You can call me Sam."

"I like Samara better than Sam. Pretty name for a pretty girl." He still sounded like he was mocking a little bit, but Samara overlooked it.

"It's either Sam or Miss Bishop."

"Then Sam will do I suppose. Goodbye."

"Bye Eric." He left so quickly it was as though he vanished into thin air. She let out a deep breath. She could hardly believe that had just happened. She really had thought he was going to rip her throat out. She breathed deeply for a minute or so to calm her heartbeat and breathing. She stooped to pick up the books that had fallen and then returned to her chair, but she could not even concentrate on the first word she was reading, so she gave it up as a bad job and closed the book. She made sure all of the windows were closed and lights were out before she locked up the library before heading home.


	4. Chapter 4

***Sorry about the wait, this is a pretty huge chapter. I had it more or less done, and then I just HAD to add bits here and there, but now it's done, so enjoy :)***

One Month Later

"Sam, there's another gift on the living room table for you." Eden called from her bedroom when she heard Samara come home from working in the record store.

"Thanks Edie." Samara noted that Eden was not quite as excited when the first five gifts or so came. Eric was always sending her gifts, perhaps to butter her up or make her forget his scary scene at the library or both. Ruby was always harassing her to work for him, she thought it would be amazing, but although they had left the library on amicable terms on that night about a month ago, Samara knew how quickly he could turn, and she was not up for risking her life that way. She went into the living room to find a small flat present on the table. She picked it up and realised it was an envelope… inside were tickets to see Metallica. Shit, she didn't even know they were playing, and if she didn't know then it must be in the early stages. Trust Eric to get her something he knew she would love. Damn him. She had liked all of his other presents too. There was the stunning platinum angel on a chain, which although she really hadn't wanted to… she loved it and wore it everyday. That was about two weeks ago now.

"What did he get you this time?" Eden came into the living room behind Samara.

"Tickets to see Metallica." Samara waved them, smiling.

"Look Sam, I know you're smarter than Rubes. So this mini-lecture probably isn't necessary, but you will be careful, won't you? You told us what happened in the library Sam, he almost killed you! No amount of gifts and flattery thereafter is going to be enough. He's dangerous."

"I know that Eden. You know that I know that. I am not going to work for him, and even if I did, I'm sure I'd be fine."

"You know vampires feed on the humans working for them don't you?"

"I do know that, but I am going to be no one's entrée." Eden laughed at Samara's choice of words.

"I think you'd be more of a dessert. Save the best for last and all that."

"Oh, why thank you." Both girls were laughing when Ruby came into the living room, dressed to impress in a tiny red dress and sky scraping heels.

"Wow, where are you going?" Eden asked, eyeing her friend's ostentatious outfit.

"I've got a date." She winked.

"Who with?" Samara asked her, a bad feeling in her gut.

"A guy I met last weekend."

"A vampire?" Samara knew before she asked that it was true.

"Maybe." Ruby winked. "I probably won't be home tonight, so I'll just go straight to work in the morning."

"You're too old for me to tell you what to do, so take care Ruby." Samara hugged her.

"I see Eric left you another present, he so wants to fuck you. Lucky bitch." Ruby teased.

"In his dreams."

"I'll do it for you if you want."

"Get out of here Ruby." Samara laughingly pushed her friend out of the door.

---

"Sam, wake up." Eden was sitting on the edge of Samara's bed, while Samara was sleeping. It must have been important, because Samara was notoriously grouchy in the mornings, and all who crossed her path before two cups of coffee and a shower were victims of her sharp tongue.

"Fuck off." Samara grabbed her pillow and put it over her head.

"You need to get up grouchy."

"Why?" Samara whined.

"I think Ruby's in trouble." That perked Samara's attention.

"What's happened?" Samara removed the pillow and sat up, leaning on her elbows.

"I got a call from her boss Gretchen today, she didn't come into work. And I tried her cell but it's turned off."

"What time is it?"

"It's like 1pm Sam."

"Fuck, I'm sleeping later and later these days. So Ruby didn't show up for work?"

"No, and it's not like Ruby. I know she's a wild child, but she loves that job."

"I know." Ruby had graduated with a major in Fashion and worked for an up and coming designer Gretchen Banks, and she loved the job. She would never not go into work without a very good reason.

"And she was out with a vampire last night, what if something's happened to her?"

"Okay, be calm. First thing is first, we should call the local hospitals and police to see if they have heard anything and failing that, I… I guess I can ask Eric if he knows which vampire she was with." Ugh, the thought of having to go speak to Eric was something she really did not want to do, but for Ruby… she'd do anything.

"I'll call the hospitals right now."

"Okay, give me five minutes to splash my face with cold water and get some clothes on." Samara rubbed her face and got out of the bed. She decided to jump in for the quickest shower she had ever had. When she came out, she quickly towel-dried her short hair and pulled on some dark blue baggy jeans and a white tank top. She went into the living room and heard Eden finishing her phone conversation.

"Okay, thank you, goodbye." Eden hung up and ran a hand through her long dark hair.

"No luck?"

"Every hospital nearby has not heard of her. So that's the hospitals ruled out, what about the cops?"

"I'll call them." Samara looked through the black book of numbers that the girls kept next to the telephone, and found the local police station number.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is that the police station?" Samara asked.

"It is, how can I help you?" The female voice asked.

"Hi, I was wondering if you could. My friend went out last night and she didn't come home and didn't show up to work today and I was just wondering if you had heard of anything happening to her."

"We don't deal with missing persons until they have been missing for twenty four hours."

"I'm only asking if you've heard anything yet, I'm not asking you to rally a posse and go find her."

"Fine, what's her name?"

"Ruby Windsor."

"I'll check, give me a second."

"Thanks." Samara waited for a few minutes and then the police woman came back.

"We've not heard anything from a Ruby Winston."

"Her name is Ruby Windsor." Samara said, annoyed.

"Well, we've heard nothing from that either. Call back when she's been missing for twenty four hours."

"Thanks for all your help." Samara slammed the phone down.

"No luck there either?"

"They were about as helpful as a chocolate frying pan." Samara got up and paced, thinking about what to do, and only coming up with one idea, which she really was not happy about.

---

"I'll just drive over, ask him a few questions and I'll come back Eden." Samara was trying to reassure Eden. There was still no word from Ruby and as it was almost dark, Samara decided she was going to drive to Fangtasia, much to Eden's dismay.

"Sam, I don't trust him. He almost killed you for God's sake."

"He didn't almost kill me, he just lost his temper." Samara tried to pacify her, although she did not believe her own words.

"I should come with you."

"You need to stay here and keep trying people she knows and hospitals. You need to be here in case she comes home too. I'll be fine on my own Edie." Samara hugged Eden.

"Please be careful."

"Aren't I always?"

"No, not in the slightest." Both girls laughed lightly.

"I'll be okay Edie. Keep trying everyone." Samara encouraged her, and left. She got into her car and drove the half-hour distance to Fangtasia in Shreveport. Outside the club she took a deep breath. As much as she put on the front, she was afraid to go in there and maybe be killed by an angry vampire. She steeled herself. She was Samara Bishop, and she took shit from no one. Her friend was missing and she WAS going to get to the bottom of it. She got out of the car and walked towards the door. As it was a Tuesday night, the bar was not open. She knocked the door and hoped someone would hear… well since they were vampires they really should hear it with their heightened senses and all.

"Why hello." The door opened so quickly Samara almost fell back with surprise but managed to steady herself. Standing at the door was none other than Eric's lapdog Pam.

"I need to speak to Eric."

"Do you? What do you need to speak to him about?"

"That's my business."

"Well if you don't tell me then I don't think I can let you in."

"Pam." Samara heard a voice – Eric's voice, then something in some kind of Slavic language. Pam rolled her eyes and stood back to let Samara pass her. Samara went inside the empty club – empty besides Eric standing there. Wow, he looked good. His hair had been cut and was slicked back.

"Sam, what a pleasant surprise."

"I need your help."

"Come through to my office." He turned to walk away and Samara followed him. They went inside his cluttered office.

"Nice hair." She commented.

"Thank you, it was time for a change. Sit." He pointed to a chair in front of the desk. She sat down and he sat at the chair behind the desk across from her. "I see you're wearing the necklace I bought you."

"Oh." Samara hadn't realised she forgot to take it off. Damn. "Yeah, it's nice."

"It reminded me of you."

"An angel?" Samara asked sceptically.

"Pristine." He smiled that mocking smile that she so loathed.

"I'm not that pristine."

"I beg to differ."

"Oh whatever." Samara folded her arms, aware she looked like a petulant child but didn't care.

"You mentioned you need my help?"

"My friend Ruby is missing. She went out with a vampire last night, and she didn't come home or go to work today. Her cell is off and we called the cops and hospitals, they haven't heard from her."

"I told you young girls go missing all the time."

"Does that mean you have something to do with it?"

"No it doesn't. Young girls who play with vampires as often as your friend does generally meet sticky ends."

"I need to know who she usually hangs around with. She tends not to share that information with us."

"I can ask Pam, she would know better than I would."

"If you don't mind."

"If I do help you, then what'll you do for me?"

"What do you want?" Samara was apprehensive. "You mean work for you?"

"I could mean that… or you know something simple to get over and done with. Perhaps some oral sex." He cocked his eyebrow suggestively.

"What?!" Samara stood up out of her chair, anger flowing through her like electricity again.

"I am joking of course." Eric laughed at her reaction. She had a funny feeling he said things like that just to see what her reaction would be. Asshole.

"Not today Eric, I'm not in the mood."

"I can tell. Alright, I will go ask Pam who she usually leaves with. Then we can go and see if they have your friend."

"I don't remember telling you that you could come with me."

"I don't remember asking." He said with a tone of finality and left the office, presumably to go speak to Pam. Samara sat there waiting for him, taking in the piles of papers, the microwave (she assumed this was for heating up TruBloods), and the sofa. God she was so tired, she could sleep on it right now. That was shocking considering she had only gotten up at 1pm this afternoon.

"Are you ready to go?" Eric asked her mid-yawn.

"Oh yeah, sure." She stood up and followed him outside. "Uh, this is my car." She pointed and went over to unlock it.

"Perhaps I should drive?" He offered.

"Perhaps not." Samara rolled her eyes. Eric laughed and got into the passenger side. When Samara got in, she had to laugh, no one usually sat in the passenger side so the seat was right up to the dashboard leaving Eric's knees somewhere around his chin.

"Sorry, I'll fix that." She leaned behind his seat and pulled the lever which made the seat move back.

"I don't mind small spaces, you forget I sleep in a coffin."

"Do you actually sleep in a coffin?"

"No, but I'm playing on your assumptions about vampires." It was his turn to roll his eyes.

"It's not my fault, blame Bram Stoker." Samara held her hands up in a gesture of innocence. "Where am I driving to?"

"I'll direct you as we go." Samara started the car and drove out of the Fangtasia parking lot. There was not much conversation as they drove to the vampire's house, aside from the directions Eric was giving Samara. She pulled up in front of a small apartment complex.

"He lives here?" Samara asked disbelievingly.

"He will have the technology most vampires have."

"Oh yeah, those light-tight windows?"

"The very ones." Eric got out of the car and Samara followed him. "You should probably stay in the car."

"Hey you're the passenger on my journey, not the leader."

"So you're the leader?" He asked, amused.

"Yes."

"Then by all means, lead on." He gestured for her to walk in front of him. They went up the stairs to the third floor, where Eric told her to stop and they walked onto the landing.

"He lives in that one." Eric pointed to the door which had the number 314 on it.

"So I'll just knock?"

"Just knock and see what happens." Samara raised her hand and knocked the door. The door opened within a second to reveal an older male vampire. He was good-looking like most of them, but his face fell when he set eyes on Eric.

"Sheriff, what can I do for you?"

"We're looking for a human girl – Ruby Windsor." Samara asked.

"I have no human girl here, Eric would be able to tell if I did."

"But I think you might know where this human girl is." Eric told him.

"I don't." The vampire was getting defensive now. Eric stormed across the threshold and grabbed the vampire by the throat holding him in midair.

"So, where is the human girl?"

"Ruby used to be mine, but she isn't anymore." The vampire choked out. Samara looked at the look on Eric's face… it was beyond terrifying. No wonder that vampire had looked so scared when they came to the door, but Samara had never seen anyone look as scared as this vampire looked now.

"Who else has fed on her?"

"Matthias has fed on her. She should be with him." The vampire choked.

"If you are lying, you will suffer for it." Eric squeezed the vampire's throat a little tighter and then dropped him on the floor. He left the apartment and beckoned Samara to follow him. She hesitated. She stepped into the vampire's apartment.

"Are you okay?" She asked timidly.

"I'm fine, enjoy being a meal for this evening." The vampire said spitefully and Samara took that as her cue to leave. Eric was already at her car by the time she got downstairs. She opened it from a distance with her keys and Eric got in. Samara got in to see the angry frown still on Eric's face.

"You didn't have to choke him you know." Samara started the car and drove onto the main road.

"We're going over to Terrance Court. You know it?"

"Yeah I know where it is."

"Drive quickly. I know Matthias, I've had to warn him about his conduct with humans before. It never ends well for the human."

"Okay, I'll drive fast." Samara put her foot down. After a couple of minutes she said: "Eric?"

"Yes?"

"You know how you want me to work for you?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"That's one of the reasons I don't want to." She pointed back the way. "I mean, back there, you were just so scary."

"I'm the Sheriff, I need to have discipline."

"Well, there's having discipline then there's just being terrifying. Like that night at the library, I really thought you were going to rip my throat out. I was actually mentally preparing myself to die."

"I apologised for that."

"I know, and I accepted the apology. But who's to say I won't piss you off again? I'm pretty antagonistic, and if that is enough to earn my one-way ticket to a hole in the ground, then I'll pass thanks."

"I wouldn't hurt you."

"You grabbed me by the throat because I told you to go to hell. How could I possibly work for you when you flip like that? You would almost certainly turn on me."

"Is there anything I can do to change your mind about me?"

"I don't know… be nicer?" She half-laughed.

"I'll give it a try." His face gave no emotion away, so she could not tell what he was really thinking.

"Is this where we're supposed to be?"

"Yes, just park over here." He pointed to the sidewalk and Samara pulled up. They got out of the car and Eric sniffed. "He does have a human female in there." They both walked quickly (Eric much faster of course) towards the small one-storey house. Eric didn't bother knocking the door, the just went right through it, knocking it off of the hinges.

"Sheriff, what are you doing here?" Samara heard a voice and ran into the house behind Eric. It just looked like a normal everyday living room, except for the fact that there were big shutters on the windows. The vampire looked very young, well, his body looked young. He was probably only eighteen or so when he was turned.

"Matthias, bring me the human girl." Eric looked very superior.

"What human girl?"

"Do not lie to me." Eric's fangs came out.

"She's in the bedroom."

"Then take us there."

"Okay… okay." The vampire went down the hall and Eric and Samara followed him. When he opened the door Samara gasped and pushed past him. Ruby was sitting on the bed with a blank look on her face…covered in vampire bites.

"Ruby!" Samara ran over to her and touched her face with her hand. "Rubes?"

"Oh Sam, hey." Ruby said in a whispery voice, unlike her usual confident one.

"What happened to you?"

"Nothing. Matt & I just had a good time. I think two of his friends were here, but I don't remember."

"You let two other vampires feed on her? You asshole!" Samara was about to charge at the vampire but Eric stopped her and then punched the vampire himself. The vampire went to the ground.

"Did you glamour her into forgetting?" Eric asked as the vampire lay on the ground.

"Yes." The vampire was bleeding from the force of the punch Eric gave him.

"Did three of you feed on her last night?"

"Yes."

"Her blood level is low, why didn't you give her some of yours?"

"Because I don't want to." The vampire said and Eric hit him again. He was going to hit him again, but Samara stopped him.

"Eric, don't. Just let him go, and I'll get Ruby out of here." She went back to the bed to help Ruby get off of it.

"You will leave my area before dawn, and you will not return, understood?" Eric told the vampire on the ground.

"Yes Sheriff." Eric left the room to follow Samara and Ruby, and he helped Ruby to walk while Samara opened the back door of the car to help Ruby in. They were driving back to the apartment when Eric announced:

"I need to give her some blood."

"You don't need to do that, she'll heal won't she?"

"Without my blood, I'm not sure."

"Well, okay then." Samara tried to concentrate on driving as Eric bit his own wrist and offered it to Ruby, who drank eagerly.

"She should be fine now. She just needs rest."

"Okay, thank you."

"No problem." When they arrived at the apartment, Eric lifted Ruby up the stairs to the apartment.

"You have to invite me in." Eric stood at the threshold of the apartment.

"Oh, sorry. Please come in." Eric carried Ruby to the room Samara indicated and laid her down on the bed. Samara covered Ruby up and brushed her hair away. She was so relieved to have found her. She knew she had Eric to thank for that.

"Where is your other friend?" Eric asked when they were in the hall.

"She fell asleep on the sofa. I'll tell her in a little it that we've got Ruby home. Which is entirely down to you, thank you so much. I couldn't ever repay you for that."

"I wouldn't say that."

"I suppose I can't really say I won't work for you anymore." Samara let out a little laugh.

"You can. But I would still like you to."

"Okay, you got yourself a deal. You take one snap at me though and it is over."

"Agreed." He smiled what seemed like a genuine smile. The difference it made to his already handsome face was overwhelming. Samara gently shook her head so she could concentrate.

"Okay, then we have a deal." They shook hands. "So what do you need me for?"

"I will be in contact. I must go now. Goodbye Samara."

"I told you to call me Sam."

"Well I'm calling you Samara."

"I was wondering when annoying Eric was going to make an appearance." She mock-frowned. "Goodbye." He left and she took a deep breath, wondering if she had just agreed her life away.

***I hope you enjoyed that. I'm thinking this story isn't as good as my last one, less reviews & favourites so I'm sad, but I'll continue writing it even if only one person wants me to :)***


	5. Chapter 5

***Hey guys, sooo sorry it's been so long since my last update. My computer broke and I started back at university and it's all been a bit hectic haha. So here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy :)***

Samara opened her eyes but could not see anything in front of her; the room was in complete blackness. She could tell she was bleeding. She snaked her tongue lightly over her lip, wincing as she did so. Her throat was very dry, and she knew she would have difficulty speaking if she tried. Trying to move, she realised that she was in fact bound to a chair; she could not move. She tried to move her hands and winced again as they rubbed against coarse, hard rope.

"Help!" She shouted… but it was more of a hoarse croak. Tears fell down her face, and she struggled to remember how she had ended up here. She racked her brain to think of a reason as to why she might be bound to a chair in complete darkness. The last thing she remembered was getting Ruby home last night… or was it last night? She had no idea. She thanked Eric, agreed to work for him, and then he had left. She went to wake Eden up and filled her in on what happened to Ruby. She hadn't stayed up longer than that, and the very last thing she remembered was changing into her black pyjama shorts and back vest top. She could tell she still had them on as she was frozen and shivering. She thought of agreeing to work for Eric. She did not know exactly what she could do for him, but he was very intent on gaining her employment and as he had helped her she felt like she could hardly refuse him. She knew he thought there was something special about her, but she did not have a clue what that might be. Suddenly a door scraped open.

"Who's there?" She croaked again. The lights flipped on and she immediately closed her eyes. The light seemed to burn through her very eyelids. She heard footsteps walk towards her and she frantically tried to pry her eyes open. Her eyelids flickered painfully a few times before opening. She had to screw up her eyes to see anything. The room was completely unexceptional. The walls were dark grey, as was the floor. And the door just looked like the normal door to a room. Between Samara and the door, however, was a woman. She was very beautiful, she had olive-coloured skin, making her look Italian, which was helped by the fact that she had long wavy black hair cascading down past her shoulders.

"Hello Samara." She smiled. She had intended it to be reassuring, Samara could tell, but unfortunately Samara was too scared to be reassured.

"Who are you? What am I doing here?" She struggled at her bonds again, but to no avail.

"You're safe here, do not worry."

"How can you say I'm safe? I'm tied to a chair and I'm bleeding."

"You're healing already of course." She said this with the air of someone explaining two plus two is four to a child.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Caroline. I'm a Watcher."

"You're a what?"

"Oh but of course, you don't know what I am, do you?"

"No, I don't."

"Well, had your father brought you up, you would probably be a Watcher today as well."

"What are you talking about?" Samara was completely confused. If she was a drug-taker, she'd be convinced she was tripping right now.

"You really know nothing?"

"About what? Please, I just want to go home."

"But you are home my dear." The woman looked so frustratingly smug that had Samara's hands been free, she may have slapped her.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Tears were running down Samara's face.

"I would ask you if you knew vampires existed, but you clearly do. Your relations with Mr Northman have come to our attention."

"We don't have any relations."

"We know that he wants you to work for him. He wants to find out about your powers."

"Powers? I don't have any powers. No one has powers."

"You know about the existence of vampires, how can you say that there is no such thing as powers?"

"They don't have powers, they're just strong or whatever."

"That is their power."

"What does any of that have to do with me?"

"Well, you have powers Samara."

"I don't, that's ridiculous."

"Don't you ever wonder why your life goes so smoothly? Why you're always top of everything you do? Why almost every little thing you want, happens for you?"

"That's not true." Samara winced as she bit her lip trying to think if this was true, but in her eyes it was ridiculous to think that.

"It isn't? Then why did you graduate at the head of your class?"

"I worked hard for it."

"Did you? I think not. I think you take your powers for granted."

"How can I take anything for granted if I don't know it exists?"

"Your life is more or less perfect. You take that for granted."

"My life is not perfect! I have parents who couldn't care less about me, I've never had a boyfriend, and I worked really hard at university."

"Oh poor Samara. How hard her life must be." The woman was mocking her. "Your parents are not your parents, my dear."

"What are you talking about? Of course they are!"

"No, my dear. Your mother was a seventeen year old prostitute."

"What? What the fuck are you saying?" Samara was in shock, she knew it, but could not prevent it.

"Yes, your father always did like the young ones. It was no surprise that he impregnated such a poor, young girl."

"My dad? My dad is a fucking district attorney."

"I'm talking about your real father of course. He was a faerie." At that moment Samara just burst out laughing.

"Oh, okay, yeah a faerie." She could not stop laughing. "Are you serious?" She choked out between laughter.

"I am not joking." Caroline's face was utterly serious.

"Faeries don't exist."

"Don't you know the fairytale that if you say that, a faerie drops down dead somewhere."

"Well if they don't exist, I don't feel any guilt."

"It's a fable anyway, we exist and that is that."

"So why am I here? So you could spout rubbish to me?"

"Samara, my dear, why is it so hard for you to believe?"

"Because in the real world, people don't just kidnap you to tell you that you are in fact the bastard child of a faerie and a prostitute."

"You are no bastard child, you mother died in childbirth. You have a small light brown birthmark on the inside of your upper left arm, as she did. You have never had a disease in your life. You were bullied at school because of your light skin, and because one day in your gym class you pulled yourself up the rope quickest, proving you were the strongest bodied in the class, although you were very skinny. In the 10th grade, you didn't study for your calculus test, in fact you almost slept through every calculus class, yet you still got the highest mark in the class. When a dress doesn't fit you, your body somehow adapts to make it fit. I could mention several more things that I know about you, but I think I'm convincing you."

"How can you know these things?"

"I'm a Watcher. It's my job to know about other faeries."

"So now you're telling me that I'M a faerie?"

"You're not a full faerie, but we see potential."

"Who is this 'we'"?

"The Dark Council of course."

"Dark?"

"Yes, dark. For there are light and dark faeries in the world."

"And you're dark? Does that mean you're bad?"

"It means we are not do-gooders. But even we must appreciate the balance. All of our life must be a balance. You have been brought here primarily because you have been throwing the balance."

"I don't know anything about a balance though."

"Exactly, which is why you're still alive. We cannot do any extravagant good or bad. It just isn't The Way. You have been hurting people, and while that is usually not a problem for us, the Light are unhappy about it. But of course, you are using your powers inadvertently." Samara was starting to get pissed off with how often this woman used the words 'of course', like Samara was stupid for not knowing.

"What powers?"

"Samara, all you need to do is think about what you want, and you'll have it. It is not as simple as it sounds, for you must really truly will it to happen. If there is the slightest hint of doubt in your mind then it will not happen. You also cannot do anything extravagant that throws the balance."

"So, you mean if I wish for something for myself then it'll happen?"

"Yes, but before your mind runs away with ideas, you cannot wish eternal wealth, or anything so ridiculously extravagant. However you can wish small things that make your life easier. You can also defend yourself with anything you wish. For example, when those vampires grabbed you a few weeks ago, you told them to get their hands off of you, and it was as if their skin was burned, was it not?"

"Yes."

"There you have it. And while we're on the subject of vampires – you WILL end your relations with Mr Northman."

"We don't have any relations."

"My dear. We are not blind. The incessant gifts he sends you, and his constant probing to allow you to work for him. He can tell that you aren't human, but as you are not full faerie, he cannot tell. He is almost literally dying to find out all about you. But that may, of course, be the price."

"What do you mean?" Samara's attention immediately focused. It sounded like she was threatening Eric.

"You are clever, you know what I mean. We do not honour allegiances with vampires, and if you do not heed our wishes we will have to take drastic action."

"Are you going to kill me if I don't?"

"Why of course we're not going to kill you." Caroline laughed a high-pitched girly giggle. "We'll kill Mr Northman."

"What?" Samara choked out.

"You see some of us also have the gift of foresight. We believe you also possess this, but it comes to you in blurred dreams and pictures, so you have to work on that."

"They're just dreams." Samara sagged in the chair.

"They are not 'just' dreams Samara. We have much stronger foresight. I must inform you that we have reason to believe that you are not of the dark like your father was. You seem to be more inclined to the light. That would answer your question of why you've never had a boyfriend."

"What?" Samara was too bombarded by information to be able to take it all in, or even understand it.

"You see, Light Faeries only ever have the one partner for eternity. They are tied to their soul mates. We Dark Faeries do not have such limitations. But you seem to be Light. We have foreseen that you and Mr Northman will eventually become soul mates."

"Me and Eric?" Samara scoffed. "Yeah, right. We don't even like each other."

"It matters not." Caroline smiled and knelt in front of her. "You will not become soul mates, as you will end all contact with him immediately. If you do not, we will drape him in silver. He will suffer to the very end, at which point we drive a stake through his heart and he will explode in a cloud of bloody guts."

"No!"

"And you claim to dislike him?" Samara didn't speak. "Samara, you are rare. There have only been a few half-breed faeries in the past eight or nine centuries. We will not have you exposed to vampires. You understand me?" Caroline grasped her face painfully.

"Yes."

"Good. Then I believe it is time to unbind you." The ropes suddenly fell from Samara's wrists and she snatched her hands back to rub her wrists. "Close your eyes."

"What?"

"Close them." Samara hesitantly closed her eyes and felt Caroline touch her face gently, and the next thing she knew was blankness.

---

"Ouch!" Samara fell onto the sidewalk outside her apartment complex. She landed on her hands and knees painfully. She could not remember the journey here, but all she saw was a black SUV speeding away. She got to her feet painfully and struggled up the two flights of stairs to her apartment. She opened the door (the girls usually left it open until they all got home) and then closed it quietly behind her, running to her room. She then collapsed on top of her bed struggling for breath, the evening's events weighing her down like a fallen building. She pulled her duvet over her head and lay there, not moving.


	6. Chapter 6

***This is one of the shortest chapters that I've done but I wanted to take it on to show you what happened when Eric confronted Sam, but I also wanted to end the chapter with some drama, so more is coming soon, promise :)***

"Oh… hello." Eden answered the front door to find herself face to face with Eric Northman. Although she was no fan of vampires, Eric's ridiculous good looks stopped her short.

"Hello Eden."

"How…how can I help you?" Eden stuttered.

"I've been trying to reach Samara for the past few days, but her cell phone has been off. I thought we had last parted on good terms."

"Well there's something wrong with her."

"What is wrong?"

"She sort of stayed out all night the other night and didn't get back until the next day, and since then she hasn't come out of her room and when we try to talk to her she tells us to leave her alone. We tried to get in but she tells us she's fine and not to bother her." Eden frowned. This was so unlike Samara. "When she was gone I honestly thought she was with you, but apparently not."

"I must speak with her." Eric's eyebrows were knitted together while he thought it over.

"Okay, you've been invited in before, right?" Eden stepped back.

"Yes." He stepped past her and without waiting walked quickly to Sam's room.

"Samara?" He knocked the door.

Samara's head jerked in the direction of the bedroom door. Oh no, Eric was here. She knew he would have come eventually, but she was NOT prepared to deal with it.

"Samara I know you're in there." Samara stepped off of the bed and rubbed her face with her hands. She hesitantly stepped towards the door, regarding the doorknob as something that would burn her hand if she touched it.

"Samara, open the door." Eric demanded. She took a deep breath and pulled the lock back and opened the door. She noted the very brief look of shock on Eric's face when he saw her – she knew she looked awful.

"I'm going to be honest with you, you look like shit." He told her.

"Yeah I know." Whether it was due to lack of use or the way she was feeling, her voice came out in a soft whisper, devoid of its usual confidence.

"What has happened to you?" He reached out to touch the fast-healing cut on her lip that had not altogether healed, but she jerked away from him.

"I'm fine." She turned her back on him and he stepped into her room, closing the door behind him.

"Where have you been? Your friends assumed you were with me, but I think I'd have noticed if a young feisty red-head was following me around." Eric made a stab at making the conversation light-hearted, but already knowing that it was useless.

"I was nowhere." She sat down on the bed and looked at her clasped hands.

"Well you didn't just vanish into thin air."

"Just drop it." Samara said in that emotionless voice. "Why are you here?"

"I was wondering if you could get the next few days off of work."

"Why?"

"I would like you to accompany me to Dallas this weekend."

"I can't do that."

"What? You agreed to work for me."

"I've changed my mind." She completely lacked the feistiness that seemed to be her trademark – she was lifeless.

"What is wrong with you?" Eric was getting frustrated by this lifelessness. Samara's fiery attitude and her vivaciousness were the main reasons she appealed to him, other than the fact he could tell she wasn't human of course. Eric grabbed her by the shoulders and put her on her feet.

"I just don't want to work for you." She continued to look at the ground instead of Eric's face.

"Samara, I would very much appreciate you coming with me. I need some support. A vampire very close to me has gone missing. I would appreciate you coming to Dallas to assist me." His voice almost gave way to pleading.

"Ha!" Samara snorted and Eric dropped his hands to his side, thinking that she had perhaps gone mad. Though it was the first sign of emotion she had shown since he got there.

"What?"

"You don't care about anything in this world apart from what you see in the mirror."

"That is not true. Where is this coming from?"

"Don't act surprised. You know I've never liked you. You probably only helped me or gave my friend blood the other day because you wanted to impress me. Why you wanted to do that, I have no idea, but I'm sure you had some kind of ulterior motive. You're cunning, evil, rude and conceited. You epitomise everything I despise. You must make other vampires ashamed." With each harsh word spoken, Samara felt a stabbing pain in her chest. Sure, Eric was a conceited dick, but that didn't mean he deserved this. It really did cause her pain to be such a bitch. She didn't mean any of it – besides perhaps the one about him only caring about himself.

"I see. So that's how you feel?" He asked in a strained sort of voice, though his face betrayed no emotion.

"I think I made myself clear." She turned her back to him to hide the tears in her eyes. After her first big cry-fest when she got home, she had been holding back tears since, and now they threatened to spill over.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you, I won't do so again."

"Good. Please leave." She heard her door open and the front door slam within seconds of each other and the tears spilled over.

"Oh God." She put the palms of her hands over her face and then ran into the bathroom, locking the door. The heavy emotions that had been threatening to collapse on her finally fell on her shoulders and she sobbed uncontrollably. The confrontation with Eric had been the icing on the cake, all she needed to send her over the edge. She felt like she was literally about to crack under all of the pressure. She suddenly let out an ear-piercing shriek and punched the reflection in the mirror, shattering the glass.


	7. Chapter 7

***Hope you guys enjoy this one :)***

Two Weeks Later

Samara was in the record store, fixing some records into genres instead of just normal alphabetical. She was waiting for Jacob to come and let her go, which she could not wait for. She had been spending the last two weeks the same as she spent those first few days – in her bedroom, not eating or sleeping. She did like coming to work now, although she was still scared. It distracted her from the events that were making her feel this way. The worst part was that she was really upset about how she had treated Eric. He may be several not very nice things, but he definitely did not deserve that. She pushed it to the back of her mind while she sorted out the records.

"Sam?" Samara heard a voice behind her and almost jumped out of her skin. "Hey, chill, it's Jake." Jacob put his hand on Samara's arm to find she was trembling and breathing quickly in quick short breaths.

"You scared me."

"Since when does Samara Bishop get scared of anything? Aside from knowing I was coming anyway, this is the same girl who stands up to vampires and gives them what for we're talking about here."

"God Jake, you crept up behind me like a ninja, who wouldn't be scared?" She tried to answer back in her usual cocky way, but couldn't quite manage it.

"What's wrong with you? You won't tell me why you disappeared and what happened. You look terrible. Your hair is a mess, your clothes aren't ironed, and they're falling off of you because you haven't been eating. What the hell is wrong?" Jacob demanded.

"Thanks." Samara turned her back on him and he grabbed her arm to turn her around, losing his temper.

"God damn it Samara Bishop, it's like someone has snuck in and took all of your spirit and life. What's wrong with you?" Samara's eyes cast down to her feet. She decided to tell Jacob a little bit of what was wrong with her.

"I… I had a fight with Eric. It was really bad."

"What about?"

"I told him I didn't want to work for him, and said some truly heinous things. He wanted me to help him with something in Dallas and I totally shot him down."

"Dallas?"

"Yes."

"He, uh, he's not long back from Dallas. As far as I know…" Jacob looked like he did not want to speak what was on his mind.

"What?"

"His maker died."

"His maker died?" Samara whispered. She felt like a ton weight had crushed her lungs and she could not breathe. And now for the first time in her life, she was having a panic attack. It felt like her heart was about to explode in her chest, and she could not quite get her breaths to come out.

"Hey, come on Sam, calm down. Take deep breaths or you're going to faint." Jacob held her by the shoulders looking into her eyes. "Come on; take deep slow breaths with me now." He inhaled deeply and then exhaled, and repeated until Samara was doing it too. "Better?" Samara nodded. "You've got feelings for Eric haven't you?"

"No." Samara said a little too quickly.

"Tell the truth Sam." Jacob gave her an understanding smile, which somehow made her more annoyed than if he had laughed at her.

"I am. I'm no pathetic fangbanger. No offence."

"None taken." Jacob laughed.

"How could I have feelings for someone as cold as Eric?"

"Hey we're all cold; it doesn't mean we're incapable of human emotion."

"He is. You know he is."

"Just because you think he is incapable of emotions, doesn't mean you can control your own. It's quite easy to see that you have feelings for him. Maybe not to everybody, but I know you. The Sam I know certainly does NOT have panic attacks."

"That's the first time I've ever had one." She admitted.

"Look if your fight with Eric is bothering you so much, why don't you just go and apologise?"

"It's not that easy."

"It IS that easy. Now, go do it." Jacob turned her around and lightly pushed her.

"Okay, fine."

"And brush your hair." Samara almost laughed at that.

---

Samara nervously pulled up in the Fangtasia parking lot. She had no idea what to do. She wanted to see Eric, to tell him how sorry she was. But would she be able to resist telling him why she had been such a bitch? She didn't know if she could risk it – they would kill him if she told him the truth surely. Taking a deep breath she got out of the car and locked it. She approached the door and Pam, who was standing at the door, looked her up and down with a disgusted look on her face.

"Hi. I need to see Eric."

"I don't think he's going to want to see you." Pam said coldly.

"Please Pam. I absolutely need to speak to him."

"Fine, it's your neck." Pam allowed her entry with all of the other club goers. Samara could feel the other patrons staring at her as they were all dressed up and she was wearing baggy jeans and a long-sleeved black t-shirt. She moved down the short hallway to Eric's office. She considered knocking but adrenaline forced her just to open the door. Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw. He was sitting in the chair behind the desk with a blonde fangbanger in his lap. He pulled away from feeding on her chest and looked straight at Samara who was frozen to the ground with shock.

"Uh, I… sorry!" She came to her senses and closed the door quickly. She stood there with a panic attack almost looming over her again. Maybe Jacob had a point about her having feelings for Eric, because aside from every other emotion she was already feeling, jealousy was a huge one. Stupid blonde idiot fangbanger. She scowled. The door behind her opened and the stupid blonde idiot fangbanger came out of the office, giggling away.

"Samara." She heard his voice and she slowly stepped into the office. He was not looking at her, only looking at the desk wiping a tiny piece blood from his lips with a handkerchief. After a minute or so of silence, Samara felt like she had to break it.

"I thought you weren't allowed to feed on people here."

"Are you going to turn me in?" He asked with a bitter edge to his voice.

"No, of course not." His hostility, though not unexpected, still hurt.

"I just wanted to say I was sorry."

"Then by all means say it."

"Look, I didn't mean to be such a bitch to you. I'm really sorry. I'm sorry about… about your maker too."

"Well that doesn't matter does it? I do only care about myself anyway, what difference would the death of someone close to me make?"

"Eric, I'm so truly sorry. I'm a wretched shrew who doesn't deserve your forgiveness." Tears were running down her face, and before she knew it she was sobbing into her hands – the pressure of the last two weeks finally pouring out. Eric stood and stepped uncertainly towards Samara. Like any man, vampire or not, he feared these crying females and their emotions. What was he supposed to do? Obviously this was not just because she was sorry, something else must be wrong.

"Uh, don't cry." He awkwardly put his hand on her shoulder and without warning she threw herself against his hard chest, sobbing on him. His clothes were getting wet, but never mind. He physically stuttered before putting his arms around Samara, allowing her to cry. He took this second with her attention diverted to inhale her scent. Her blood still smelled of summer, and of sunshine. It was so much more vivid than normal humans.

"I'm so sorry." Samara pulled back from Eric, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Why are you so upset?"

"I can't tell you."

"What do you mean you can't tell me?" Eric was confused.

"They'll kill you." She whispered.

"Who will kill me?"

"I can't tell you. I don't want you to get hurt." She looked earnestly up at his confused face.

"No one is going to hurt me. I have a thousand years of strength. I'm sturdy." He tried to make a joke, and it worked – Samara gave a weak laugh. "Now tell me what's wrong." He put his hand on her shoulder in a reassuring gesture.

"Faeries." She said it in such a low voice that had Eric not been a vampire he would never have heard her.

"Faeries?" For one devastating moment, Samara was sure he was going to laugh at her, but to her extreme relief, he did not. After a couple of minutes of silence Eric asked: "You're one of them, aren't you?"

"Yes." She nodded and more tears slid down her face. "Not a full one. My dad was one and apparently my mother was a seventeen year old prostitute." She sighed heavily. "I haven't been able to take it all in at all. She gave me a total information overload."

"She?"

"The one who kidnapped me… at least I think it was her. I don't remember the actual kidnapping. She called herself a Watcher. You know about any of this?"

"I do know of faeries. I've never had to deal with them, but to my knowledge the Queen has in previous years. The Watchers are the ones who maintain the balance. I assume she mentioned the balance?"

"Yes. She said that I'd been exploiting it with my powers." That one word certainly pricked up Eric's ears.

"Powers? What are your powers?"

"She said that if I will for things then they'll happen. But I have to mean them, and I can't will for things that will throw the balance out."

"That is a very special gift." Eric's eyes were wide and Samara could practically hear the cogs in his brain whirring.

"Could you tell before? That I was different?"

"Yes. I didn't know exactly what you might be, I never suspected faerie."

"The woman told me that faeries don't honour allegiances with vampires."

"That is correct, they do not."

"They threatened to kill you if I didn't tell you where to go."

"Is that why you've been in such a state since you got back?"

"Yeah. I've been too afraid to will for anything, scared of my own shadow, scared for you, and emotionally burnt out."

"Listen to me. You have nothing to fear. Nothing will happen to me, and nothing will happen to you, I promise."

"Eric I don't want you to get hurt because of me."

"I want you to work for me. In exchange I will guarantee your safety. No one will harm you."

"It's not me I'm worried about."

"Oh Samara, ever the martyr. I guarantee my own safety too, is that better?"

"A little bit." She smiled.

"I'm serious. Do not be afraid. And use your powers. You wouldn't have them if you weren't intended to use them."

"Thanks Eric. You're being really nice."

"I'm protecting my new pet."

"Your pet? Fuck you Eric!"

"Ah there's the fire." He winked.

"I hate the fact that you say things just to get a rise out of me." Samara pouted and Eric laughed. "Thanks for reassuring me, I'm glad I told you now."

"Just don't worry about it."

"I won't. So… when do you need me to work for you?"

"I'll call you."

"Okay, thanks again." She held out her hand and Eric shook it.

"The pleasure is mine." Samara smiled and left the room, not noticing the hungry look in Eric's eyes as he stared after her.


End file.
